Indian Railways has launched an exciting new offer — the “Railways Offers 20% Off Round-Trip Packages for Festival Rush” — just in time for the busy festival season. This move is designed to help manage the heightened rush during celebrations like Diwali and Chhath, ensure smoother travel, and make train journeys more affordable for families and travelers.
What is the Round-Trip Package?
The new scheme, “Railways Offers 20% Off Round-Trip Packages for Festival Rush”, is an experimental initiative by Indian Railways. It provides a 20% discount on the base fare of return tickets when passengers book both their onward and return journeys together. This scheme aims to reduce booking hassles, decongest train stations, and ensure full train occupancy during this peak season.
Key Dates & Scheme Highlights
Bookings open: August 14, 2025
Onward travel: October 13 – October 26, 2025
Return journey: November 17 – December 1, 2025
Offer applies to all classes and most trains, except those with Flexi fares.
With “Railways Offers 20% Off Round-Trip Packages for Festival Rush”, passengers simply need to book both their outgoing and return tickets at once (for the same people, class, and route) to benefit.
Who Can Use This Offer?
Anyone planning to travel during the festive period can use this scheme. The “Railways Offers 20% Off Round-Trip Packages for Festival Rush” is available for families, groups, and solo travelers who book confirmed tickets for both parts of their journey. The offer covers normal and special trains but excludes Flexi fare trains such as Rajdhani, Tejas, Duronto, Shatabdi, and Vande Bharat.
Booking and Conditions
Here’s how to get the benefit:
Book your onward journey first, for a date between October 13 and October 26, 2025.
Then, book the return ticket (for travel between November 17 and December 1, 2025) using the “connecting journey” feature.
Both bookings must be made in the same way (either online or at ticket counters).
Remember, under “Railways Offers 20% Off Round-Trip Packages for Festival Rush”:
The 20% discount is only on the return ticket’s base fare.
No refunds or modifications are allowed after booking.
Advance reservation period rules do not apply for the return ticket, so you get added flexibility.
Why Has This Offer Been Introduced?
Festival seasons always see a massive spike in demand, leading to crowded trains, long waiting lists, and last-minute struggles for tickets. With “Railways Offers 20% Off Round-Trip Packages for Festival Rush”, Indian Railways aims to evenly spread out the passenger load and offer savings, while also making it easier to plan round trips in advance.
Advantages for Passengers
Financial savings on return fares.
A smooth, predictable booking experience.
Confirmed tickets for both parts of the journey.
Less stress about ticket availability during peak seasons.
More flexibility in return planning, since the usual 60-day advance rule isn’t enforced for return tickets.
Conclusion
The “Railways Offers 20% Off Round-Trip Packages for Festival Rush” scheme provides significant benefits for travelers during the festive rush. By encouraging advance round-trip bookings, Indian Railways hopes to offer a more pleasant, cost-effective, and organized travel experience for everyone this festive season.
This could be your best chance to save money and travel stress-free — book your festival round-trips early and take full advantage of the 20% discount!
